Employee ownership has gained increasing recognition and support from investors in recent years. However, attracting scaled institutional capital remains a challenge for the field. The perceived complexity of employee ownership, uncertainty about returns, regulatory and fiduciary challenges, and a lack of understanding about how the model works pose significant challenges to capital market adoption. In this conversation from the 2025 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum hosted by the Aspen Institute, panelists discussed the current state of employee ownership investment and examine how institutional investors, asset owners, and allocators can bring forward the investment the field needs to grow.

Speakers:

• Ted Margarit, Managing Partner, Paralign Capital Partners
• Catherine Toner, Managing Director of Impact Investing, Gary Community Ventures
• Lindsey Zizumbo, Executive Director, Sorenson Impact Foundation
• Moderator: Alison Lingane, Founder, Ownership Capital Lab